What item of equipment was a waste of money?

[archman]

underwater lazer pointer.

Neat, but absolutely useless.

You probably had one of those low wavelength reds in the cheap plastic housings. The high wavelength reds are considerably brighter, and a real hoot on night dives. I have a high quality french model.

But once green wavelength models for underwater use become available, I'm all over that. Green has much higher penetration, and human eyes are best adapted for seeing it. I want I want I want.

 

[opiniongirl]

yeah - ever wonder why on earth they don't make fire exit signs in green, not red?

and why the heck are they on the ceiling? Smoke rises, why the heck aren't they on the floor?

 

[ippy01]

yeah - ever wonder why on earth they don't make fire exit signs in green, not red?

and why the heck are they on the ceiling? Smoke rises, why the heck aren't they on the floor?

....completely worthless. Stiff as a board, with very little propulsion. Replaced them with Atomic Split Fins which are fantastic.

 

[BryceB]

I have underwater slates for my wife and I. In my experience, if you have enough time to write something out, it's propably not that imporant underwater.

Bryce

 

[Swan1172]

What a waste of $$$.

It is dry as long as it is in your mouth, which is appropriate for snorkeling but absolutely laughable for SCUBA. It would be great if I could keep it along with my regulator in my mouth at the same time. My wife says I have a big mouth, but it is not that big.

 

[TinmanJones]

I know, I know. I'm digging up threads from 2005, but it has possibly saved me hundreds of dollars. Atleast till the sun come up tomorrow.

This has been a great thread, all 19 pages of it, for Noobs. Don't let this die.
Its 2012. Surely more things have been bought & regretted since 2005.?.?

 

[sawfish]

Okay, I will resurrect this relic. Lot of folks on here dissing the old standby divers knife in favor of shears, etc.. I never hit the water without my diver's knife strapped to the inside of my left calf (West Coast kelp diver style). Useful for removing kelp entanglements or discarded fishing gear (nets, etc.). Digging tool, pry bar, scallop opener, fish killer, equipment tool, etc.. I confess to being the odd man out, but I never leave home (for diving) without my dive knife. Most times I also carry a folding knife and a set of shears in my pocket, but the old school dive knife gets the Lion's share of the use. Funny, how many times folks who do not bring one ask to borrow mine.

 

[Storker]

Two things, actually: my console mount SK7 (no, not the compass itself, but the console mount). I used it on a handful of dives before I pried the compass out of its mount and put in a DSS bungee mount. Should have gotten the bungee mount version in the first place. Also, a pair of gaiters. Used'em once, did me no good. My son appreciates them, though, because he's got rather skinny calves.

My 6" knife which I carry on the inside of my left calf is one of my most universally useful items, though. A true multitool


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[Octopusprime]

I have to say no big money mistakes but I talk to everyone before buying gear...

However the AKONA Tec 40 LED total waste... not even worth a backup light.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Scooter. Played around with it on a few dives and then it sat in my garage for a year. I sold it on Ebay for about what I paid for it.
Canister light. I got tired of repairing it every month so I gave it away. My much smaller SOLA light is bright enough.
Snorkel, aluminum 80s, slates, knives. All things I used but no longer have a need for.